India's bill on Kashmir map 'factually incorrect and morally unacceptable', says Pak
United Nations: Seeking to internationalise the issue of India's proposed maps bill, Pakistan has said depiction of the 'disputed territory' of Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India in the bill is in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and is "factually incorrect and morally unacceptable."
Pakistan had last week sought UN intervention on the draft bill in the Indian Parliament over the map of Kashmir, with its ambassador to the UN Maleeha Lodhi writing to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Security Council President for the month, Abdellatif Aboulatta of Egypt.
In the letter, released to the media by the UN today, Lodhi referred to India's draft Geospatial Information Regulation Bill 2016 and said Pakistan has "serious concerns" over the bill.
"However, in violation of UNSC resolutions and international law, the official map of India has been depicting the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir as a part of India which is factually incorrect, legally untenable and morally unacceptable. Sadly, the international community and the United Nations have failed to take notice of this Indian action," Lodhi said in the letter.
Lodhi said in the letter that the international community should "honour" its responsibility to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
"More than 65 years later, the people of Jammu and Kashmir are still waiting for the international community and the United Nations to fulfil their commitments by holding an independent and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices.
"Failure on the part of the UN to ensure the sanctity of UN resolutions has resulted in blatant violations of international law as well as human rights abuses of the Kashmiri people. The Indian government has been using force as state policy, which has been exacerbating the situation. In view of this, the UN should intervene to uphold UNSC resolutions and urge India to stop such acts which are in violation of international law," she said.
India had reacted strongly to Pakistan seeking UN intervention on the Indian draft bill on map, saying it was an "entirely internal legislative matter" and Pakistan or any other party has no locus standi on it.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said that India "firmly rejects" repeated and increasing attempts by Pakistan to impose on the international community matters that it has always been open to address bilaterally with it.
"The Government firmly rejects Pakistan's repeated and increasing attempts to impose on the international community matters that India has always been open to address bilaterally with Pakistan," Swarup had said in response to a question on Pakistan Foreign Office press release on India's Geospatial Bill.
Lodhi cited UNSC resolutions, saying the final disposition of Jammu and Kashmir would be made in accordance with the "will of the people, expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite, conducted under the auspices of the United Nations."
She said the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir is a "UN declared and internationally accepted disputed territory".
